15 Tricks To Treat Your Halloween, Embracing Messy

Hello everyone! I'm Kelsey and I'm so excited that Katie asked me to guest post as part of her Halloween series. I blog at Embracing Messy and I love sharing my projects with my readers. Fall is my favorite time of year so that makes this post even more fun! Today, I'm going to share with you how I made my Cheesecloth Ghosts.

 

Supplies:
Cheesecloth
Liquid Starch, Fabric Stiffener, or any other concoction you know of that will stiffen the cheesecloth.
A small bowl
Something to drape your cloth over (I used small craft paint bottles, but really it depends on how large you'd like your ghosts to be)
Black acrylic paint

Step 1: Cut out a piece of cheesecloth large enough to drape over the object you're using as your "form." My pieces weren't very big because I was going for some smaller ghosts.

Step 2: Dip cloth in stiffener/starch (whichever you're using) and squeeze out any excess liquid. Then drape over form. Here, adjust the cheesecloth so that it's draping how you'd like it to be when it's stiff. (Sorry there aren't any pictures of this step! My hands were covered in fabric stiffener, so it was a bit difficult to snap a picture!)

After I draped it over the paint bottle, I pinched the top a bit so my little ghost wouldn't have a flat top. 

Step 3: Allow to dry for several hours. Once dry, remove from form. You should be able to mold it a bit if it's not perfect. Paint on a face, and you're finished! Easy!

My ghosts were little, but you can make them any size! Some suggestions for larger ghosts:

1. You could use a two-liter bottle OR milk jug as your form. 

2. Mine are made to sit on a flat surface. You could put some fishing line in them and hang them. After all, ghosts do float. :) 

3. When storing these guys, it helps to pack them with some plastic bags stuffed up inside of them so that they don't get crushed too easily. 

Thanks SO much for having me, Katie! And thank you all for taking the time to read. I hope you'll stop by Embracing Messy and say hello! 

Aren't those just SO cute?! I will definitely be making myself some of these. So easy and fun! Make sure to stop over and say hello to Kelsey some time!

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, The Bean Sprout Notes

Hello Katie{Did}It readers! I'm the voice behind The Bean Sprout Notes, a little blog about crafting on a budget. Today I'm going to share a simple idea for last minute Halloween decorating on the cheap. Living with a young toddler, my Halloween style is more orange and cute, rather than black and gory, so this project is perfect for my current season of life.

Without further ado, let me introduce The Great Pumpkin Door!

At night

It's big, simple, the kids love it, and it only sets you back 100 pennies. This is the project if you want to make October a special time for the kids without breaking the budget. Plus, come November, you can toss it in the trash without feeling the slightest bit guilty (except that you should be recycling ;) Budget friendly AND no bulky lawn displays to store until next year. That's a win-win in my book.

Seriously, this is the easiest seasonal decoration ever. It hardly even warrants a tutorial. But because I already took all the photos....

Step 1: Gather supplies. You will need a large orange jack-o-lantern leaf bag (mine was $0.97 at Walmart) a pair of scissors, and some painter's tape.

Step 2: From the inside, begin taping the pumpkin bag to the frame of glass door.

 

Step 3:  Cut the face down to size, saving the back half of the bag. Depending on the size of your lawn bag, you will likely need an additional orange panel, which you will cut from the back side of the bag, to cover the bottom half of the door.
 

The best part is that The Great Pumpkin Door can be enjoyed from both the inside and the outside. It's transparent enough that a warm orange glow will be seen emitting from whichever is the brighter side. Happy Halloween!

If you liked this idea, I encourage you to click over to my blog, The Bean Sprout Notes, where I share inexpensive craft tutorials, handmade gift ideas, and an occasional mommyhood story. I can also be found on Pinterest. 

Thanks again Katie for having me today!  

What a clever and inexpenxive idea to bring the holiday together for the kids. Mischele has lots of ideas like this, so go on over and check them out!

Today I am at High Heels & Grills!

Hey ladies! Today I will be hanging out with Sarah on her blog High Heels & Grills. She is a blast so stop by and say hey to her, and see what fun Halloween Treat I am sharing today!

 

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, What's Cooking, Love

Hi, I am Alyssa from What’s Cooking, Love?

I am so excited to be here posting at Katie {Did} It for the 15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween Series

Make sure that you check out all the great Halloween posts.  Everyone has been posting some great ideas for decorating for Halloween and some yummy treats for Halloween parties!!  Thank you Katie for inviting me over to your blog and asking me to be a part of your Halloween series.  I feel honored to be posting with all of these great bloggers.  

 

I am a wife to my wonderful husband and a mother to my 1 year old son.  I like to blog about cooking and love food!  My blog is about cooking easy, good food, using shortcuts and timesavers.  I also host a weekly link party, Showcase Your Talent Thursday.  I hope that you stop by and visit.  

 

When I was a kid I always looked forward to Halloween.  Now that I am a mother, I look forward to my son's excitement for Halloween.  I always loved dressing up and all the parties.  My favorite part of Halloween is the candy and the food at Halloween parties.  If you have ever read my blog this should be no surprise to you, because my favorite part of everything is food.  

Another thing that I associate with Halloween is pumpkins.  I always carved pumpkins when I was a kid for Halloween.  These Pumpkin Pie Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow are a great combination of the candy and pumpkins of Halloween. These are a great treat to serve at Halloween parties.  

These Muddy Buddies are made using Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses.  I also decided to add some graham cracker crumbs to the powdered sugar to give the muddy buddies the addition of the flavor of a graham cracker crust.  These tasting amazing!! I loved the pumpkin flavor, which was not overwhelming at all.  I could not stop eating these.  I also sent some to my husband's work, where they were also quickly devoured.  I hope that you make this delicious and easy treat to serve at your Halloween parties!

Pumpkin Pie Muddy Buddies

5 cups rice Chex cereal 

1 bag (10 ounces) Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, melted

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1.  Add the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs to a plastic bag and mix together.

2.  Put the Chex cereal in a large bowl.

3.  Melt the Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses in the microwave for 45 seconds and stir until smooth.  If not melted, microwave for additional 15 second increments until melted and smooth.

4.  Pour the melted Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses over the Chex cereal and mix until the cereal is coated. Add the cereal to the plastic bag with the powdered sugar mixture and shake until the cereal is completely covered.  

*Alyssa*

Thank you so much to Katie for allowing me to guest post!

I hope that you stop by and visit me at What’s Cooking, Love?!

You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or by RSS Feed

Thanks!

YUM! I cannot wait to make these! Delish! Stop over at Alyssa's to check out other fabulous recipes and to take part in her fun party every week!

 

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, Destination: Craft

Hello Katie{Did}It readers! I'm super excited for this series and I'm glad Katie contacted me about participating!

I'm Kathryn from Destination: Craft and I love to blog about crafting and recipe-trying. I have a link party every Monday and I'd love for you to come and visit me!! 

 

So, Halloween isn't my all-time favorite holiday, but I DO love dressing up my kids, so I normally like to put up some decorations to remind me that it's Halloween time. 

And what's Halloween without CANDY?! Today I'm sharing my Candy Corn Jars!

I bought these adorable jars at a shop called Christmas Tree Shops but I'm sure you could find similar ones at a dollar store. They kind of reminded me of little candy corns.

Then I found these M&M's at Wal-Mart and I was so thrilled! I thought they'd look adorable in my jars. PLUS they're delicious :)

I just layered the Candy Corn M&Ms into the jars to mimic a real candy corn, added BOO with the help of my Cricut, and glued some ribbon around the top. 

And now I have adorable candy jars on my shelves reminding me it's Halloween time!!

Thank you Katie for having me! Have a spooktacular Halloween!!

Aren't those just one of the cutest things you've ever seen?! I love them! What a fun touch to add to your Halloween decor. Thanks so much to Kathryn for stopping by today, and make sure you go say hi to her some time!

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, Design Dining and Diapers

Hi Everyone! I'm delighted to be participating in Katie's Halloween Series this year! What a fun way to gather inspiration for the upcoming holiday.

 

In case we've never met, I'm Taryn from Design, Dining + Diapers. A place where I share a little bit of everything but mainly DIY Projects, Craft Tutorials and allergy friendly recipes! I live in the Pacific Northwest with my hubby, 18 month old Baby Girl and our spunky Golden Retriever! I love the outdoors, coffee, baking, spending time with friends and family and watching Reality TV!

Today, I'm getting in the Halloween spirit by sharing an easy way to spruce up your porch or mantle with these Illuminated Ghost Garland.

 

Sometimes it's hard to find Halloween decor that will stand out both during the day and at night for all of those trick-or-treaters. This ghost garland will look adorable on your porch during the day and

at night... ...Flip on the switch to see the ghosts light up for your visitors! Boo!And believe it or not, it's super simple to make.



Supplies Needed:- Strand of White Lantern Lights- 2 Yards White Cotton Fabric- White String- Scissors- Black Sharpie

Cut ten

14" squares. Fold them into a triangle and cut the tip off to create a hole in the center of the square.Carefully remove the lantern from the light. Thread the light through the hole in the square piece of fabric.

Carefully secure the lantern back in place and wrap the fabric around the sphere.Tie a piece of string around the bottom of the sphere to hold the fabric in place. Using a sharpie, draw ghostly eyes and a
 mouth!

And you are done! Where would you put your little ghosts?Here are a few other projects you can find on my blog.Succulent Planter from Thrifted Watering Can ¦ Upcycled Side Table Using Distressed Wood ¦ Recycled Jar VasesYou can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+!HUGE thank you to Katie for having me over today. It was my pleasure 'meeting' all of you!Hope you all have a boo-tiful day :)-Taryn 


I just love Taryn's blog. And as you can see she does some really beautiful projects. I may be a tad guilty of stalking her... Sorry Taryn! Hehe! Make sure to stop by and say Hi!

Fall {Mantle} Decorations

I am SO excited to show you my finished fall mantle! It is just so fun to decorate this warm and cozy season... Even though it's still in the upper 80's and lower 90's here. Still. I just love it. There is just something just so aesthetically pleasing about it. SO, here mine is!

What do you think?! I looooove it! I found that window frame while out antiquing one day, and that wreath is made out of brown coffee filters that I did a while back. And does everyone remember my DIY mantle?! There she is holding my fall decorations!

These were very easy to make. They are just little frames from the dollar section at Target that I painted. Easy peasy way to add that little something extra.

These little pumpkin gourds were just too cute. I made votives out of two of them, and the green and white one is one of them. Just cut a hole in the top, clean it out, and stick a tea light or small votive in the top. The wire urn is holding some brown and white "fall" vase filler, and then I found some mini corn stalks at Tom Thumb. When I bought them I wasn't sure what I would do with them, and then this turned out to be perfect! And that wire urn I picked up at GoodWill for 4 bucks. And it used to be green. Obviously I had to do something about that. So it's brown now.

 

There's the other gourd that I made into a votive. Isn't that white gourd fun? 

 

 Do you have any antique cheese graters that you use to decorate with? I just got these a few months ago, and I was SO excited to do something with them. So when I started putting my fall mantle together, I kinda just stuck them up there, not really sure if they would make the cut. But I put some small glass votives inside the cheese graters, and it gives off a really nice little glow. I just have to remember to blow them out when I go to bed!

I thought the cheese graters were a nice rustic and unusual touch for my fall mantle. I was really pleased with the way it all came together!

What do you think? How did you decorate your mantle or shelf for fall?!




Linking Up Here:

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, Blissful and Domestic

Hi there! I am Danielle, from Blissful and Domestic. I am super excited for fall. The changing leaves, the yummy smells, the need for cuddling to escape the cold...I just love it all! Today I am going to share with you one of my favorite fall baking recipes. It is for some truly scrumptious Cinnamon Baked Apples. Want to know the best part? They can be made in the microwave! Oh and the littles can help as well:) It is absolutely perfect for a cold, fall day. Pair it with some hot cocoa, a cuddle with your favorite man or munchkins, and you have a truly blissful morning.

These are so easy peasy, which is exactly how I like my recipes. Core three apples and place in a microwave safe dish. I used individual ramekins. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine on each apple. Then add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to each apple. Try to get all your sugar onto the top and in the core area. Next add a teaspoon of cinnamon to each apple. Place in your microwave for 6-8 minutes. You want your apples nice and soft. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then enjoy!

 

Thanks so much for having me Katie and letting me take over your blog for the day. You rock! Over at Blissful and Domestic I love to share how my family lives on $14,000 a year, how we meal plan, and cut our groceries in half. I also love to share crafty/sewing tutorials, home-school activities, and recipes. I would love for you to stop by and say hi. I love meeting new bloggy friends:)

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Those look delicous! Can't wait to make some! Stop over and say hello to Danielle and look around her cute blog!

15 Tricks to Treat Your Halloween, The Grant Life

Hi Katie{Did}It readers!  I'm super excited to be here today sharing a fun toddler Halloween craft with y'all!  My name is Kelley and I blog over at the Grant life.  Over there I share recipes, crafts, a weekly link party and lots of stories about babies.  

I love fall, I love Halloween but mostly I love pumpkins!  Im going to share a quick toddler craft that my daughter and I did recently.  And of course it involves pumpkins! 

I have these bamboo plates from our wedding and they are just hanging around.  Ryley and I painted them orange and our pumpkins started to take shape. 

Next we glued buttons on the orange plate and gave it a little jute nose.  See?  I told ya it was simple!  Paint, glue and done! 

 I glued some jute on the back and hung the plates in the hallway to the kitchen.  On one I wrote 'Happy Halloween' and on the other I drew a large chevron pattern.  Which kinda reminds me of Charlie Brown.  Haha!

Thanks Katie for letting me share this super simple craft during your Halloween series!  Hope yall stop by my neck of the woods and say hello!  

I really like that chevron plate that she did. It adds a great touch! Kelley is such a great gal, and she's also right here in Texas! Woot! Hope to meet this sweet lady one day at a conference maybe, ;). Stop by and say hey!